Serenity
by Leafwing-Jayfeather Lover
Summary: Swirl, is a castaway cat that has a bad past and is wandering a forest alone, until she meets Dodge, a menacing cat with a past just as bad as hers. On their way to find the Clans, they unveil the paths of courage, faith, friendship, loss, and love as Swirl changes Dodge into less of a monster, and his life, into less of a nightmare... R&R! I need constructive criticism please!;


Swirl padded along the riverbank. Her stomach growled with hunger. Swirl winced, and thought, _maybe there'll be something on the other side of the _river...the little voice in her head suggested. Swirl glanced down, studying the treacherous rapids flowing endlessly. She spotted a line of large stones, leading to the other riverbank. They looked just as if they could hold her.

"This is a risk I'll have to take." She murmured to herself, as she lowered one paw onto the first one, warily testing her weight. She relaxed as she set all four paws down. She braced herself again for the other rock. It was about a fox-length and a half away. She closed her eyes, and leaped, but as she roughly pushed off the first stone, one of her hind paws slipped and she fell headlong into the perfidious river.

Swirl thrashed as the cold water embraced her, and she struggled for air. She gasped when her head came above the surface, only to swallow icy cold water. Her lungs were about to burst and she didn't which way was the surface anymore. Swirl stopped writhing as her vision faded and she blacked out.

* * *

_**~later on…~**_

Swirl cracked open her eyes and saw another cat's muzzle just a mouse-length away from her own. Startled, she took a sharp intake of breath, and winced. Her lungs burned every time she took even the slightest breath and a sharp pain was flashing in her head. The cat moved its muzzle away and Swirl attempted to sit up. She shook her head and blinked rapidly. Her rescuer had long fluffy, red-brown fur, with white paws and striking green eyes.

_He's handsome…_was her first thought, and she regretted it immediately and she felt dumb for thinking it at all.

"Who're you?" she croaked. The cat was a slender young tom, probably around her age, maybe a little older. He twitched his ears and sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws.

"The cat that just saved your life. And if you don't mind, you should be on your way." He replied, his green eyes flashing mysteriously. He began to pad away, his tail flicking behind him.

"But I owe you my life! You saved me, and I want to pay you back!" Swirl couldn't keep the hurt from her voice as she hurried to catch up with him.

The tom flattened his ears, and kept on walking, ignoring Swirls pestering comments as she flounced along beside him.

"What's your name?" Swirl asked cheerfully, studying the red-brown tom.

"What's yours?" he countered, glancing at her, suspicion sparking in green his eyes.

"My names Swirl!" she answered, giving him a sidelong glance. The tom snorted, his whiskers twitching in amusement.

"What kind of name is that?!" he grunted, padding a little faster.

"You're mean. But you still have to tell me your name." Swirl purred, keeping pace with the tom easily.

"Dodge. My name is Dodge." He spoke crossly, speeding up his pace again.

"Dodge….I like that name!" Swirl decided, still keeping up.

"Look. _Swirl_, will you get lost?" Dodge snarled, turning on Swirl as she skidded to a halt beside him.

Swirl recoiled, and spoke softly, "But I am lost…I don't want to be alone…this forest is scary." She whimpered.

Dodge rolled his eyes and hissed. "Well, you're going to have to deal with it, pretty she-cat. Go find someone else to follow around." Dodge, stalked away, and left Swirl alone.

Swirl shuddered at the thought of staying alone in this forest any longer. So she made a decision.

_I'll follow him. I'm sure he knows his way around this treacherous forest…I'll just have to be careful so he doesn't see me…_

* * *

**AN : lol. No, I'm not dead :3 I've just had a seriously fatal case of writers block. Soo I decided to write a new story, and to stick with it! Please review and PLEASE PLEASE PLEEAAASE give me some advice c: I could use some constructive criticism too 'cause the last time I wrote a warrior cats fanfiction was before **_**last**_** summer…I think…. :p and I need a new Beta Reader….If you want to be my Beta Reader, just pm me and we'll take it from there!  
Until later, Leafwing 3**


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